Collapsible shipping box or crate



H. K. SHIRLEY.

COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING BOX 0R CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1919.

1,345,264. Patented June 29, 1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY KELLY SHIRLEY, OF MARIANNA, FLORIDA; MRS. MATTIE SHIRLEYADMINISTRATOR OF SAID HENRY KELLY SHIRLEY, DECEASED.

COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING BOX OR CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J n 29 1920 Application file'dJuly 19, 1919. Serial No. 311,922.

To all whom it may concerns Be it known that I, HENRY K. SHIRLEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Marianna, in thecounty ofJackson and State of Florida, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Collapsible Shipping Boxes or Crates, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference beinghad' to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to an improved collapsible shipping box or crate,particularly adapted for shipping eggs, though not necessarily, for itis obvious thatother articles may be also shipped in the box.

Heretofore in shipping eggs and other fragile or breakable articles incrates previously used, the crates are very liable to become crushed,owing tozpiling one upon the other. Hence a general and most importantobject of the invention is to pro vide a metal shipping crate or boxrigidl reinforced, in order to assure strength ant rigidity, suflicientto withstand the weight of the numerous crates above, hence preventingthe crates from crushing, and there by preventingt'he breakage of theeggs.

' A further object of the invention'is to provide a collapsible shippingcrate of this kind comprising hinged side and end pieces, and topandbottom pieces hingedly connected to the side pieces at diagonallyopposite upper and lower corners of the crate, the various pieces beingrigidly reinforced" by means of vertical and longitudinal braces rivetedto the pieces, the hinge connections of the pieces being so arrangedwhereby the side and end pieces may collapse toward each other, wherebythe top and bottom pieces may collapse upon the exteriorsof the sidepieces.

A further object of the invention is the provision'of upper and lowerflanges on the end pieces against which the top and bottom piecesengage, whereby suitable bolts may be inserted through the top andbottom pieces of the flanges of the end pieces to hold the shippingcrate or box'rigidly in erect po sition, for. the reception of aplurality of fillers super-imposed for the reception of eggs, thefillers being spaced by the usual corrugated cardboard sections.

A further object of the invention isthe provision of lateral flanges onthe side pieces at diagonal opposite upper and lower corners of thecrate or box, to receive bolts,

which pass through the top and bottom p eces and the flanges of the sidepieces to securely fasten the top and bottom pieces.

A further object of the invention is theprovision of a box formed uponthe inner faces of the side pieces, for the reception of various bolts(which are used for holding the crate or box erect) and also for thereception of the egg filler sections and the cardboard spacing means,whereby the crate may be returned with all its parts to the sender.While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forthis deemed preferable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction ofthe invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the in-'vention may be susceptible to changes and the right to these changes isclaimed, provided they are comprehended within th scope of what isclaimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, aswill be hereinafter set forth, shown inthe drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is' a perspective view of the improved crate orbox constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the same,

reception of the various bolts, or the fillers,

which may be collapsed, so as to be inserted in the pocket.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 and 2, 4 and 5designate'the side and end pieces of the crate or box, which arehingedly united by means of the hinges 6. Any number of hinges may beemployed, but in the present instance there is illustrated hingesadjacent the top and bottom,

' and also intermediate hinges. These hinges are riveted to the piecesor sections upon their inner faces, as illustrated, whereby the sectionsor pieces maybe easily collapsed.

The side pieces are eachreinforced by the longitudinal b; aces 7 and 8,and also reinforced by means of the vertical braces 9. The braces 7consist of heavy elongated sheet metal strips, which are riveted to theside pieces, as indicated at 10. Certain of these rivets pass throughcertain of the leaves of the hinges, while other of the rivets simplypass through the strips and through the side pieces. The braces 8 con-10 sist of heavy sheet angle iron, and certain ,of

the flanges of these angleiron braces are riveted to the side piecesasindicated at 11, and'certain of these rivets pass through the sheetangle iron braces, and through the vertical braces, and certain other ofthe rivets simply pass through the flanges of the angle iron braces andthe side pieces. The vertical braces consist of heavy sheet iron strips,which are riveted at12 to the side pieces,

thereby rigidly reinforcing the side pieces,

which also consist of heavy sheet iron plates. The end pieces 4: and 5consist of heavy sheet iron plates, which are reinforced by the verticalsheet iron strips 13, which are riveted to the end plates. These endplates or pieces are additionally reinforced by the upper and lowersheet angle iron plates 14, which are riveted at 1.5 to the end sheetiron plates or pieces, and also to their vertical brace.

llv this articular construction of reinforcing the side and end pieces,and also constructing the side and end pieces in the form of sheet metalplates, it will be seen that the crate involves considerable rigidity,to withstand the heavy strains, and the rough usage each similarlyconstructed. In fact, each consists of elongatedlsheet iron plates orother suitable metal, and fastened in any suitable manner adjacent themarginal edge thereof are longitudinal and transversely elongated heavyiron or other metal strips 20 and 21. Certain of the rivets of one ofthe longitudinal braces of each of the top and bottom sections or piecesconstitute means to secure suitable hinges 22 in place,

which are in turn riveted or otherwise secured to the diagonallyopposite upper and lower longitudinal strips 7 of the side pieces. Bythis arrangement it will-be observedthat the top and bottom pieces orsections are hingedly mounted at diagonal opposite upper and lowerportions of the crate or box, whereby when the side and end pieces ofthe crate or box are collapsed as shown in Fig. 5, the top and bottompieces or sections are 6 capable of folding upon the outer faces of theside pieces, so that the crate or box may be folded or collapsed in asmall compass for return to the sender.

The top and bottom pieces or sections are large enough, so as to overlieor overlap the flanges of the longitudinal and transverse bracing angleiron members, and the overlying parts of the top and bottom pieces andsaid flanges of the angle iron braces arekprovided with registeringapertures 24; for the reception of bolts 25 having nuts 26, whereby theside, end, top and bottom pieces may be securely and rigidly fastened.-By this means of fastening the top and bottom pieces, and also owing tothe reinforcing means, it-has been found possiblethat the crate or boxhas considerable rigidity, suiiicient to withstand the rough usage,strains and "the weight, which are subjectedto the crate or box duringits. use, particularly when shipping eggs and the like. 7

When the crate or box is collapsed, the end pieces may be folded ineither direction, one toward and upon one of the side pieces, the otheraway from one of the side pieces and vice 'versa, after which the topand-bottom pieces may be folded upon the outer face of the opposite sidepieces, hence permitting the plate or box to be folded in a smallcompass. 1

Upon the inner adjacent faces of the side pieces suitable pockets 26 areconstructed.

, These pockets consist of pieces of heavy fabric, preferably heavycanvas, though not necessarily, which are riveted at 27 to the sidepieces. One of the longitudinaledges of each piece of fabric isunattached for its full length, there being additional pieces of similarfabric 28 also riveted to the side pieces, to overlap the first pieces.The first pieces are loosely arranged relatively to the side pieces, soas to bulge inwardly sufficiently, whereby the various bolts and nutswhich are used for fastening the top and bot-- tom pieces, and also thefillers or egg separators 29, may be arranged in the pockets. The fabricpieces 28 constitute flaps, which overlap the pockets, and are providedwith suitable fasteners 30, similar to glove fas- .teners, to hold theflaps closed. The egg fillers are of the usual construction, consistingof intersecting pieces of cardboard and these fillers when'in use areopen and are disposed in super-imposed relations, to providecompartments for the eggs. The fillers are spaced by means of corrugatedcardboard 3]., or any other suitable means, to keep the eggs separated,and also to cushion the eggs and to prevent breakage during shipment.

A partition 36 is mounted in the crate or box, and has suitable bracesnear its vertical edges, and also riveted at 38 adjacent the verticaledges are projections 37, which extend through openings in the sides ofthe crate or box, thereby holding the partition securely in place. 1 V V7 Suitable braces 45 are secured to the bottom and top pieces of thecrate or box, thereby additionally reinforcing the top and bottompieces, particularly rendering them more rigid at their centralportions. The braces 45 are secured between the top and bottom piecesproper, and their braces 20, and the L-shaped parts are positionedadjacent the free edges of the top and bottom pieces.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis:

1. In a collapsible shipping crate, the combination with side and endpieces hingedly united, whereby the end pieces are adapted to collapseupon the inner faces of the side pieces, of rectangular frames havingvertical braces secured to the outer faces of the side and end pieces,the end frames having upper and lower elongated transversely disposedbraces angular in cross section, the frames of the side pieces havingelongated braces angular in cross section secured to the side piecesadjacent certain of their diagonally opposite longitudinal edgeportions, top and bottom pieces hingedly united at diagonally oppositelongitudinal corners of the crate, and adapted to overlie certain of theflanges of the longitudinal angle braces of the side pieces, meanspassing through the top and bottom pieces and the flanges of thelongitudinal angle braces of the side pieces to hold the top and bottompieces in place and the crate in rectangular formation, said cratehaving a transverse partition, and receptacles carried on the innerfaces of the side pieces.

2. The combination with side and end pieces hingedly united, whereby theside pieces are adapted to collapse toward each other and the end piecesadapted to lie against the inner faces of the side pieces,

hingedly connected to longitudinal edges of,

the side pieces at diagonally opposite corners of the crate, and adaptedto overlie certain flanges of the angle bars of the rectangular framesof the side pieces, means passing through the top and bottom pieces andsaid flanges of the braces of the side pieces to hold the crate rigidlyin rectangular formation, said top and bottom pieces having rectangularframes and provided with central transverse braces having their endssecured under the longitudinal bars of the last mentioned rectangularframes,

to additionally insure rigidity, an interior transverse partition andarticle receiving. fillers mounted on the interior of the crate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

HENRY KELLY SHIRLEY Witnesses: I PAUL LoNe,

J. W. SMITH. V

